Mister Rogers: His Post-9/11 Message
Just days after former Blues Clues host Steve Burns came out of retirement to “speak, an archival clip of another children’s TV icon coming out of retirement has started trending.
Boston public television channel GBH posted a video clip of Fred Rogers — aka “Mister Rogers” — a year after 9/11. He had been retired by then, but filmed a message for his viewers, most of whom were at least young adults by then, and still shaken by the events of September 11, 2001.
In the video, he mentions that he occasionally bumps into his former viewers, who might be in their 20s, 30s or 40s, and that they always end their interactions with a hug. “I’m just so proud of all of you who have grown up with us. And I know how tough it is some days, to look with hope and confidence in the months and years ahead. But I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger: I like you just the way you are. And what’s more: I’m so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you’ll do everything that you can to keep them safe and to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods. It’s such a good feeling to know that we’re lifelong friends.”
Watch the full video below.
Exactly one year after 9-11 and just months before his passing, Mister Rogers came out of retirement to deliver this poignant message to his nationwide neighborhood of viewers. We still get choked up.
— GBH (@GBH) September 10, 2021
(📹 via @FredRogersPro) pic.twitter.com/dRIBK1yG2s
